Eurotopics.net

Vladimir Putin has once again changed the commander-in-chief of the Russian troops in Ukraine: the Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov will replace General Sergei Surovikin, who was only appointed in October. Commentators see the comeback of the old guard in the Kremlin and fear a new major offensive in Ukraine.

Police have begun a clearance operation in the village of Lützerath in North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany. The deserted village is to be bulldozed so that energy company RWE can mine the site for the lignite that lies beneath it. While the company has secured the mining rights, environmentalists have occupied the village in protest at the plans, arguing that coal mining should be banned in view of the climate crisis. Who is right?

In the Czech Republic, the three leading candidates - ex-prime minister Andrej Babiš, former general Petr Pavel and economics professor Danuše Nerudová - are in the final phase of their campaigns before the first round of the presidential election on Friday and Saturday. Commentators are at odds over which candidate is best qualified for the highest office of state as well as over the direct election procedure.

Greece's last king, Constantine II, passed away on Tuesday aged 82. There will be no state funeral, however. In 1967 Constantine decided to tolerate the military government that had usurped power. In a series of referendums in 1973 and 1974 the Greeks voted to abolish the monarchy. Commentators disagree over how Constantine's passing should be commemorated.

Sweden's conservative government plans to expand nuclear power. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has announced plans to increase the upper limit of ten power plants nationwide and invest in new small reactors. The phasing out of nuclear power for which the Swedish people voted in a 1980 referendum but which has repeatedly been postponed is thus off the table. Commentators call for further steps in this direction.